Forging Gold
by Thyme In Her Eyes
Summary: Aeris, and a slightly different take on that special night at Gold Saucer.


Forging Gold

by Thyme In Her Eyes

_Author's Note_: This is just a little shortfic (at least, quite a bit shorter than I usually write 'em), but I promise it still has quality, odd as it may be. I can't put a stopper on my creative energies right now! This idea just hit me, so I had to write it... This is set during the second visit to Gold Saucer, and is my odd little reworking of the events there, with a bit of a twist to things. Not sure what exactly made me want to write this but please enjoy and let me know what you think. Also, I own nothing, and am just borrowing Square's creations because I'm too untalented to think up my own! ;)

-- FORGING GOLD --

It was night at the Gold Saucer, and from every part of the theme park could be heard loud, cracking, celebratory sounds of fireworks and laughter. The door of one room creaked open – all the doors in this hotel creaked and groaned like an uneasy phantom – and Aeris hurriedly slipped out and shut the door behind her.

She heard the cheery, upbeat music that was always playing vaguely in the distance and it made her smile, completely drifting out of her earlier poignant mood. It actually made her want to dance, if she wasn't lacking company. She didn't mind admitting it, but she _loved_ it here. It didn't strike her as fake at all. There was something about it that made her smile, that made her happy, something about the atmosphere that she felt sensitive to – it was so far away from the places she'd grown up with, she couldn't help being all wide-eyed with wonder. The feel of this place overpowered her – it struck her as more otherworldly than all the mysticism of Cosmo Canyon. She just couldn't feel down surrounded by so much lighthearted fun. She smiled, thinking about all the rides, the games, the weird and wonderful characters, and all the neat, flashy things... She loved the bright lights, the happy music, and the excited atmosphere of the Gold Saucer. It kind of...exuded fun. She definitely had low resistance to that sort of thing.

What was wrong with being childish now and then anyway?

She knew that a lot was weighing on everyone's minds – there was a lot on hers, too – but a part of her didn't really understand why everyone couldn't try to forget for a little while, cut loose, enjoy themselves. They were on an _adventure_ after all, but no-one felt like taking advantage of staying at a giant theme park... But it was their choice, she understood how they felt...even though she wasn't finished with converting Cloud to her way of thinking, she thought slyly.

Aeris paused for a minute and leaned against the wall, not particularly minding if bits of peeling wallpaper got stuck in her light-brown hair. Peering down the hallway, she was pretty sure no-one had noticed her leaving. No-one except the fake ghosts, anyway. _Good_, she thought assertively.Everyone was resting and preparing for the journey tomorrow to the Temple of the Ancients, and she didn't want to disturb anyone if they were asleep. Sleep...that was what _she_ ought to be doing, she thought. She was definitely going in the leading party – no question! So she had a lot ahead of her tomorrow...but no, she'd sleep later. She was too excited, too keyed-up.

Besides, she had something else on her mind. She had to do this first, she decided. She had to do this _now_ – and she wanted to, too. And who could tell when she'd get another chance?

Now the tricky part...which room was it, again? Which room was he in?

It was quiet in the hotel – eerily so, which was probably the effect people had in mind when they built it given its theme, she reflected. But when she started wandering down the chilly, twisting corridors, melting in and out of shadows, she felt a bit like a ghost. It struck her as strangely and deeply sad for anyone to be lonely in such a bright, happy place...

She was a bit nervous, she realised. She'd been biting her lip a little bit, which wasn't like her. She was happy that she was finally getting round to it, but she felt a little nervous inside at the same time. That was kind-of surprising, she felt. She hadn't expected to be nervous; after all, this sort of thing came pretty naturally to her. And she'd wanted to do this for a long time, but she'd just been waiting for the right time, the best moment for it. She needed to talk to him, to tell him what was on her mind. It was important to her – important that she straightened things out and was honest.

Her instinct had been to do this straight away, but that didn't feel right at all – he wouldn't have reacted in a good way, her insight told her. And she wanted him to react in a good way, for her to try and sort things out with him in a way. So she'd waited, trying to pick out a good time, a good opportunity. She'd planned to come out and say it at Cosmo Canyon, but she'd gotten herself caught up in events, as usual, and hadn't really found a moment alone with him.

It was silly, she supposed, to make all this fuss about something that was actually really simple. Only it wasn't that simple, not really. It meant a lot to her that she said this _right_. He'd probably be touchy about the issue, and she didn't want to bungle things. That's what was making her nervous, plus she hadn't been feeling herself all evening. She just didn't know what to expect, seeing as he had a way of being unpredictable, at least in her eyes. How well _did_ she know him, after all?

But that didn't matter. What was important was that she _said_ it, that she changed things, and that she let him know what she was feeling.

_I'd probably go crazy if I don't_,she thought, and laughed to herself for a second, _And everyone's gonna find that pretty inconvenient..._

She heard the floorboards doing their creepy trademark Dead Man's Groan behind her, and realised that someone was wandering down the halls as well. She turned around, feeling a little suspicious and curious...and saw Cait Sith, who clearly hadn't noticed her yet. It was a surprise – he was probably the last person she'd have expected to see wandering around in the middle of the night, and she couldn't help but feel curious. Looking at him, Aeris thought that there was something very funny about how he was acting...like he was trying to walk carefully and quietly, on tip-toes. He was probably trying his best not to wake anybody up, too.

"Hey, Cait Sith." She called out, and gave a tiny wave.

He spun round instantly, clearly shocked. His face didn't really register surprise but he was frozen to the spot, and Aeris thought (odd as it was) that he actually seemed kinda _mortified_ to see her standing there, watching him.

She giggled quietly. "Sorry...I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, er, hi Aeris," his words stumbled out awkwardly and uncharacteristically, "Um, you didn't scare me, it was just...surprise. You kind-of came out the blue there."

"Yeah, it _is_ kinda dark and shadowy here, isn't it?" She said warmly, but feeling a little edgy inside. There was something stiff and forced about the way he was talking to her; it made her feel as if there was something wrong, or like something was about to happen, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt – it was probably her bad, she reasoned: she was probably just tired or something. "I'm probably a bit jumpy too. Sorry for sneaking up on you, then."

"It's okay," he replied warily, "So...what're you doing up? It's kinda late."

"Not much, just wandering around. Too much caffeine does that." She answered laughingly, feeling a little embarrassed about being honest.

"Ha...okay. That's good."

"What about you? Don't say _you're_ out on the prowl for Cloud too!" She laughed, remembering how Yuffie had been chattering and scheming about dating him sometime tonight all evening, and how Tifa had probably been turning the idea over in her mind as well.

He actually burst into a fit of nervous laughter, which pleased her, before calming down and managing to say, in a comically despondent tone of voice, "Not tonight, I'm afraid."

"Too bad," Aeris sing-songed teasingly, "I bet it could've been a magical evening..."

She'd just been joking around and expected him to retaliate or laugh, like he usually did, but he had no reaction at all. It was as if he knew what she was saying was funny but he didn't really feel it, or as if he found something _wrong_ in joking around with her right now. It wasn't like him at all, Cait Sith usually being so funny and upbeat, and Aeris felt concern prick at her.

He started turning away, and gave her a small smile before saying a bit hesitantly but very calmly, "Um, Aeris...I better get going. There's...a party going on, and I was planning to drop in. I'm just meeting up with some friends, you know...pals from when I worked here, telling fortunes, entertaining visitors and stuff. It's been a while, and I wanted to catch up with things."

"Wow, that sounds great," She said, brightening, feeling happy and relieved. So _that's_ what was on his mind!

"Yeah, that's right." He said sheepishly.

She gave him a bright, happy smile. "I won't keep you, then. Have a great evening!"

He smiled again, then turned away and shuffled off. Again, something about him seemed kind-of off, and she was seriously tempted to try and have a frank talk with him, to ask him if he was okay, if everything was alright... But before she could say anything, he'd already bounced off down the hall, leaving her to her thoughts. Whatever it was, she'd already picked up that he was a bit cagey about it, so she'd have to tread carefully. Tomorrow – yeah, she'd try and talk with him tomorrow if Cait felt up to it.

She'd started walking down the hall again, with a bit of a quicker pace this time. The halls were definitely all the quieter now that there were no chatty voices echoing through them, but she didn't mind. It didn't affect her any more, now that she had something else on her mind.

She stopped, and checked the number of the room she was standing next to, sure that this was the one. Yeah, she was right, this was his room. Now all that was left was to knock and... Yeah, she knew what to say. She wasn't nervous now, but perfectly confident. She was feeling so warm, so _herself_.

She knocked on the door. Okay...the moment of truth...

She heard movement inside the room, of someone heading towards the door. Then, the door turned open and she was faced with a very surprised Barret.

This was what she was here for, after all. To apologise. She'd waited this long so he could be sure she meant it, that she was serious. Things hadn't really been okay with them after she'd said all those things to him the last time they were here, and she'd gone overboard with her attitude... This wasn't going to be easy, but she wanted him to know that she was sorry and had only tried to help, and she hadn't meant for everything to happen afterwards the way it did. Maybe they didn't see eye-to-eye on everything, but that wasn't worth losing a friendship over.

And friendship was what she was here for, fighting for.

And like Tifa was telling Cloud at that exact same moment in the Gondola, it really _was _all about timing.

-- FIN --


End file.
